We are delighted to share that Professor Dame Elan Closs Stephens (1966, English) has become the first woman President of the Learned Society of Wales.
Dame Elan Closs Stephens. Image: Bangor University
Dame Elan took up the position at the Society’s Annual General Meeting on 20 May 2026, taking over from Professor Hywel Thomas, who has been President since 2020.
On assuming the role of President, Dame Elan sought to highlight the tremendous vibrancy of Welsh cultural, civic and scientific life, and the role that the Learned Society of Wales plays in maintaining that intellectual strength:
“We have a new Government that promises a new start. I would like that Government, and indeed business and industry and public bodies, to be aware of the riches at their disposal and to use our Fellowship as a resource to enhance the life of Wales.”
The Society is Wales’ National Academy. It is made up of 700 Fellows, academics, researchers and leaders from Wales’ civic and cultural life. It promotes and develops Wales’ research community and contributes to debates about the policies that affect Wales.
Dame Elan Closs Stephens was born in Gwynedd and is one of Wales’ most distinguished public servants, with vast experience within the media, politics and higher education. Among her many roles, she is currently the Electoral Commissioner for Wales, was interim Chair of the BBC from 2023 – 2024, and is Emerita Professor of Communications and Creative Industries at Aberystwyth University, where she is also Pro-Chancellor.
Dame Professor Elan Closs Stephens meets Somerville’s former JCR Women’s Officer Rosie Seymour for International Women’s Day, 2022